Prayers and So Much More by Carol Warner

Stephen Ministry:

Christ Caring for People

Through People

Prayers are certainly an important part of any Stephen Ministry caring relationship. One faith-filled Christian walking along side another who is struggling involves many things besides prayer, though. Through our training we learn so much more.

In our very first training session we begin to explore just exactly what this distinctively Christian caring is all about. What are the important characteristics of a caregiver? What sort of skills do we need to care for someone who is hurting? And can we really learn how to do this in a Christian way?

One of the first things we learn is that the most important caring tool we each bring to any relationship is ourselves — who we are, how we relate to another, how we care for and accept those needing care, how faith-filled we are and how we connect with our trust in God. In each following training session we are reminded that we are one of the most important elements that God will use to bring Christ’s healing to those who struggle.

Our training answers many of our questions. How do we show compassion for another? What skills does it take? Why is being trustworthy so important? How does our own faith help another? And how do we keep Jesus at the center of our care-giving relationship?

We all understand that life brings challenges. We can suddenly find ourselves on a difficult path where a reminder of God’s love and caring will ease the journey — where a shared prayer may ease the burden. Stephen Ministry is one way our church offers help. And some of us have found this ministry to be a calling as a way to give back to our church family.